Wrapping machine



R. T. HULL ET AL Sept. 5, 1967 WRAPPING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 12, 1964 l 4 mvsrvrolzs LAWRENCE W. SCHOPPEE BY ek aflwnnz wanna S ROBERT T. HULL WRAPPING MACHINE Filed March 12, 1964 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOiZS E Q JOHN 5. amano H ROBERT T. HULL LAWRENCE w. SCHOPPEE BY 61 0,0. H w m Sept. 5, 1967 R ULL ET AL WRAPPING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 12, 1964 INVENTDIZS JOHN 6. BARTL ROBERT T. HULL LAWRENCE W. SC HDPPEE Y 4-..101.

Man a? S I Sept. 5, 1967 T HULL ET AL 3,339,339

WRAPPING MACHINE Filed March 12, 1964 V 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 y/4a Q INVENTORS ROBERT Z HULL LAWRNC W .SCHOPPEE z/OH/V .5. BARTLO BY 6/ 4471a Sept. 5, 1967 HULL ET AL 3,339,339

WRAPPING MACHINE Filed March 12, 1964 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTORB ROB'RT 7'. HULL LAWRENCE \IV. $CHOPP t/OH/V .5. EARTLO Qdmn75 United States Patent 3,339,339 WRAPPING MACHINE Robert T. Hull, Suflield, Conn., and Lawrence W. Schoppee, Springfield, and John S. Bartlo, Longmeadow, Mass., assignors to Package Machinery Company, East Longmeadow, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Mar. 12, 1964, Ser. No. 351,894 18 Claims. (Cl. 53-223) The present invention relates to improvements in wrapping machines, particularly of the type having a forming well through which articles are raised to fold wrapper extensions against their end faces, as first disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2,304,428. The present application is a continuation-in-part of copending application Ser. No. 311,495, filed Sept. 25, 1963, now abandoned.

One object of the invention is to obtain higher rates of operation in the type of machine referred to, particularly in the wrapping of larger articles.

Another object of the invention is to improve the operation of tuckers which fold wrapper extensions from the end faces of the articles beneath the articles.

A further object of the invention is to facilitate the adjustment of the folding well of such machines to accommodate relatively small but critical variations in article dimensions.

Yet another object of the invention is to minimize I change parts required in wrapping various sizes of articles on the type of machine referred to.

These objects are, in broad terms, attained by a wrapping machine having a forming well and an elevator for raising articles through the forming well. The forming well has means including central folders for folding wrapper extensions against the end faces of an article. These central folders are displaceable from their operative positions after the wrapper extensions are folded against the end faces of the article so that the wrapper extensions may then be folded beneath the article by ers. The use of displaceable central folders enables the forming well to be materially shortened and with it the stroke of the elevator can be shortened so that there is a consequent decrease in the cycle time of the elevator and a resultant increase in the rate of machine operation.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the forming -well comprises means, on opposite sides thereof, for forming converging slots for folding the wrapper extensions against the end faces of the article. The entire slot forming means are moved downwardly after the wrapper extensions are at least partly folded against the end faces of the article. This has the further advantage of simplifying the procedure of changing the machine over to wrap a different width of article.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the tuckers, above referred to, move inwardly along a path which is spaced beneath the article and then during their final movement to fold the wrapper extensions against the bottom of the article as they move along paths contiguous therewith. This motion is particularly effective in obtaining tight wraps on larger articles without damaging the wrapper. Further, in connection with the movement of the tuckers, means are provided for withdrawing them along a straight line path contiguous with the bottom of the article. This prevents the tuckers from being dragged across a bottom folder which is moved therebeneath to fold other wrapper portions.

Another feature of the invention is found in the provis'ion of side walls in a vertical forming well which are adjustable toward and away from each other to wrap various length articles without the need of change parts for the wrapping machine.

The above and other related objects and features of the invention will be apparent from areading of the following description of the disclosure found in the accompanying drawings and the novelty thereof pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the forming well of a wrapping machine embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a section, on an enlarged scale, taken generally on line II--II in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section taken on line IHIII in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a section taken on line IVIV in FIG. 3;

FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8 illustrate the progressive folds formed in wrapping articles in the present machine;

FIG. 9 is a side elevation of a modified embodiment of the invention;

FIG. '10 is a view of this modified embodiment taken substantially on line XX in FIG. 12;

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the modified embodiment; and

FIG. 12 is an elevation of the modified embodiment on the opposite side thereof.

With reference to FIG. 1, the present machine comprises an elevator 10 which receives articles a one at a time or in groups from known conveyor means. A second elevator 12 carries folding plates 14 which project upwardly at opposite ends of the elevator 10 with the articles being disposed therebetween.

After an article has been advanced onto the elevator 10, both elevators 10 and 12 are raised by independently controlled posts 15 and 17 to which they are mounted. The plates 14 engage a cut wrapper W positioned thereabove by known means and raise it into a forming well. The front and rear walls 16, 18, respectively of the forming well drape the wrapper in U-shape over the plates 14. The forming well also comprises, at its opposite sides, opposed folders 20, the lower portions 22 of which fold portions of the wrapper extending beyond the tops of the plates 14 against their outer surfaces. As this occurs, portions of the front and rear wrapper extensions are folded against their inner surfaces to form what are referred to as wings w, as can be seen from FIG. 5. These wings enter slots 24 and 26 in the forming well. The inner edges of these slots are defined by the spade-like upper surfaces of the folders 20. The outer surfaces of the slots 24, 26 are defined by plates 28 and 30 secured respectively to the front and rear forming well walls 16 and 18. The slots 24, 26 fold first the front and then the rear wrapper wings against the plates 14, with the outer portions of these wings now being draped beneath the lower surface of the articles. The elevators 10 and 12 continue rising to their uppermost positions bringing the article on a level with a discharge plate 36 which is an extension of the rear forming well wall 18.

Folders 20 each comprises an arm 38 (FIGS. 2 and 3), which is secured by a screw 40 to the flatted end of a shaft 42. The shaft 42 is journaled in depending legs 44 of a bracket 46. A pair of fixed cross shafts 48 slidingly receive the bracket 46 and are supported by brackets 50 (one is shown) at opposite sides of the machine. An adjusting screw 52 is journaled in the brackets 50 and has threads of opposite hand at its two ends which are engaged by nuts 54 secured to a flange 55 projecting from each bracket 46. Rotation of the screw 52 thus provides for'simultaneous adjustment of the two brackets 46 toward and away from each other from a fixed midpoint to facilitate wrapping articles of different transverse dimensions.

A lever 56 is secured to the opposite end of the shaft 42 and is connected to a lever 58 (FIG. 1) by a link 60 through the use of spherical journals 62 commonly referred to as rod end connections. This type of connection is to permit the described adjustment of brackets 46 relative to the levers 58 which are fixed in their transverse positions on a shaft 64. The shaft 64 is mounted on fixed journals (not shown) and has a cam lever 66 secured thereto. A roller 68 is mounted on the lever 66 and enters the groove of a face cam 70 which controls movement of the described linkage.

Reverting to the forming well as seen in FIG. 1, once the elevator has been raised sufficiently for the wrapper wings w to have been folded by the slots 24, 26, cam 70, acting through the described linkage including the two levers 58, imparts counterclockwise rotation to the shaft 42 (as seen in FIG. 2) lowering each folder 20 downwardly and outwardly of the forming well, as indicated by the phantom position in FIG. 2. When the folders are thus displaced, the elevator 12 is or has been lowered to a point where plates 14 are below the level of the draped wrapper extensions.

The wrapper extension depending from the end faces of the article are now folded beneath the article by end tuckers 72. Each tucker 72 (only one is shown) is removably secured to an arm 74 (FIGS. 2 and 4) by a wing nut 73 threaded onto a clamp plate 75. Each arm 74 is pivotal on a stub shaft 76 projecting from a carriage 78 and held thereon by a collar 79. The carriage 78 is slidable on a shaft 80 projecting outwardly from the bracket 46. Rotation of the carriage 78 relative to the shaft 80 is prevented by an arrangement which includes a gib slide 82 (FIGS. 3 and 4) secured to one side of the carriage by screws 84. This slide is received by a guideway comprising a plate 86 secured to the bracket 46 by screws 88 and plates 90, 92. The plate 90 is secured to the plate 86 by screws 94 and held in spaced relation therefrom by spacers 96. Studs 98 project from plate 86 and through the plate 92 with nuts 100 compressing springs 102 to yieldingly press the plate 92 against the gib slide 82.

Reverting back to the end tucker arm 74, an integral lug 103 (FIGS. 2 and 4) projects upwardly therefrom and is connected to a lever 104 by a link 106 through the use of spherical journals or rod ends 108. The lever 104 has an integral hub which is secured to the shaft 42. A cam plate 110 is secured to the bracket 46 by screws 112 and receives a cam roll 114 mounted on the adjacent side of the tucker arm 74.

Counterclockwise rotation of the shaft 42, as controlled by cam 70 above described, results in the link 106 being displaced essentially in an inward direction so that a counterclockwise torque force is exerted on the tucker arm 74 through the lug 103. This force has two reactions, first it tends to rotate the arm 74 about the shaft 76 so that the roll 114 is maintained in engagement with the lower surface 116 of the cam 110. Second, this torque force causes the carriage 78 to slide inwardly on the shaft 80. Clockwise rotation of the shaft 42 causes the link 106 to be displaced outwardly, thus imposing a clockwise torque on the tucker arm 74. The arm 74 is now rotated or maintained in a clockwise position with the roll 114 engaging the upper surface 118 of the cam 110 as the carriage 78 is displaced outwardly on the shaft 80.

The resultant motion of the outer end of the tucker 72 is shown by the path p in FIG. 2 and is particularly advantageous in wrapping larger articles. By spacing the tuckers from the bottom of the article during the initial portion of inward movement, tearing of the wrapper is no longer a problem and by moving the tuckers at the bottom level of the article during the final portion of their inward movement, tight folds are obtained.

Further, by having the tuckers at the bottom level of the article for the latter portion of their inward stroke, greater control over the position of the article is attained. That is, a greater width elevator may be employed while at the same time permitting it to be lower at an earlier point in the machine cycle of operation.

In any event, the partially wrapped article is supported by the tuckers as a bottom folder 120 (FIG. 1) is advanced to fold the rear wrapper extension against the bottom of the article. The wrapper folds at this point are shown in FIG. 7. Simultaneously or shortly thereafter the tuckers are moved outwardly passing over the bottom folder. As this occurs, the tuckers follow a straight line path, as previously described, which minimizes or eliminates any pressure on the bottom folder and the Wrapper portions therebetween.

Finally, the article is advanced onto the discharge plate 36 by a pusher 122 and as this occurs the front wrapper extensions are folded against the bottom of the article, as seen in FIG. 8. Thereafter known means are employed to seal the portions of the wrapper folded against the bottom of the article as the article is advanced from the discharge plate by appropriate conveyor means.

As is apparent from the previous discussion, the folders 20 and tuckers 72 are controlled by a single cam. The tucker 72 and folder 20 on each side of the machine are mounted on the brackets 46 which may be readily moved toward and away from each other to accommodate different widths of packages. In this connection it will be noted that links 60 and 106 are joined to the rod ends 62 and 108 respectively by right and left hand threads at their opposite ends. Simply rotating these links enables accurate positioning of the folders 20 and tuckers 72 as may be required initially and in changing over to wrap a different size article. It is also possible to make these adjustments to compromise positions which are adequate for the entire range of sizes handled.

Further, provision is made by accurately spacing the front and rear forming well walls 16 and 18. Thus, the

r rear wall 18 is secured to an adjustable bracket 124. The

sides of the forming well are compositely formed by the plates 28 and 30, the latter being secured to the wall 18. With this arrangement the bracket 124 is held in adjusted position by screws 126 passing through slots 128 and threaded into a fixed support 130. In adjusting the rear wall 18 the width of slot 26 is varied, but this does not prevent its functioning within a fairly wide range.

It will further be noted that the portion of the plate 30 overlying the plate 28 is spaced therefrom. This spacing permits the use of a bottom folder 120 having a Width greater than the width of the forming well. A single rear folder can therefore be used in wrapping several different widths of articles.

The present machine includes the folding plates 14 which are employed where articles are irregularly shaped or it is undesirable to draw the wrapper into tight contact with the article. Their use is not essential and they may be dispensed with, as when wrapping rectangular articles.

FIGS. 9 to 12 depict a modified embodiment of the invention wherein many elements of the machine are the same as before and wherein the actual wrapping methods are likewise the same. However, this embodiment is of particular significance in simplifying the changes required to wrap different size articles, and particularly different lengths of articles.

As before, articles are raised by an elevator (not shown) through a vertical forming Well which folds a wrapper about an article to the configuration illustrated in FIG. 6. The modified forming well comprises a front wall which is mounted in fixed relation on the machine and a rear wall 142 secured to bracket 124 of the previous embodiment for adjustment toward and away from the front wall 140 to accommodate the full range of package widths to be wrapped.

The forming well also comprises opposed independent end walls 144 (only one is shown and described, the other being anexact counterpart). The end wall 144 comprises a central folder 146 having generally U-shaped mounting arms 148 extending outwardly therefrom and terminating in a hub 150. The end wall 144 further comprises slot forming members 152 having outwardly extending arms 154 which are secured to the bracket 148 by screws 156. The members 152 are spaced from the upper spatulate end of the former 146 and form in combination therewith converging s-lots 158, 160. The end walls 144 are secured to the shafts 42 by screws 162 replacing the central folders 20.

The end walls 144 further comprise thin plates 164 which facilitate passage of folded portions of the wrapper into the slots 158, 160. The plates 164 are secured to arms 154 by screws 166.

In this modified embodiment of the invention, operation of the machine is the same as before in that an article with an overlying wrapper is raised through the forming well. The front and rear walls 140', 142, and the lower portions of the central folder 146, fold the wrapper substantially as indicated in FIG. 5. Next, the wrapper wings (indicated at w in FIG. 5) are folded against the ends of the article, as shown in FIG. 6. The end folds are held in place by relatively fixed end wall extensions 170. The shafts 42 are then rotated to swing the end walls 144 downwardly and outwardly by the same mechanism previously employed which mechanism is then effective to move the side tuckers 72 inwardly to fold the wrapper to the configuration of FIG. 7. As in the previous embodiment, tucker 120 folds the wrapper extension from the trailing face of the article therebeneath and folding of the wrapper is then completed as it is advanced in a horizontal plane by the pusher 122.

The present embodiment has further advantages in requiring a minimum of change parts in wrapping different size articles. Thus, the front and rear walls 140, 142 have a transverse dimension sufficient to accommodate the maximum width of article for which the machine is designed. That is, these walls span the end walls 144 throughout their range of adjustment, such adjustment being made by means comprising screw 52 (FIG. 2) which moves the end walls 144 between the front and rear Walls 140, 142 to obtain the proper spacing for any length article. Likewise, the tucker 120 may be of a length sufiicient for a wide range of article lengths, if not for the full range. The end wall extensions 170 may also be mounted for adjustment simultaneously with the end walls 144 to further facilitate wrapping of different size articles.

Thus, the only change parts required are for the end walls 144 and tuckers 72 for different widths of articles. It will be seen that the spacing betweenthe front and rear walls 140, 142 may be adjusted, by properly positioning bracket 124, to wrap different width articles without providing change parts for these elements of the forming well.

The illustrated embodiments will suggest variations in the structural details of construction to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present teachings which is to be determined from the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as novel and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a wrapping machine, a forming well, an elevator for raising an article through the forming Well, said forming well having means for folding wrapper extensions against the end faces of the article, said folding means being slotted and including verticaly disposed central folders on opposite sides of said forming well, and means for downwardly and outwardly displacing said central folders from their operative positions after the Wrapper extensions are folded for snugly fitting said extensions against the end faces of the article.

2. In a wrapping machine, a forming well, an elevator for raising an article through the forming well, said forming well having means for folding wrapper extensions against the end faces of the article, each of said folding means comprising a central folder having a lower portion for initially contacting and folding the upper wrapper extension against the end face of the article and forming wrapper wings extending from the front and rear faces thereof, said folding means further comprising pairs of converging slots for folding the wrapper wings against the end faces of the article, said central folders being vertically disposed and defining the inner edges of said slots, and means for downwardly and outwardly displacing said central folders from their operative positions after the wrapper extensions are folded for snugly fitting said extensions against the end faces of the article, and tuckers for folding these extensions beneath the article.

3. In a wrapping machine, a forming well, an elevator for raising an article through the forming well, said forming well having means for folding wrapper extensions against the end faces of the article, each of said folding means comprising a central folder having a lower portion for folding the upper wrapper extension against the end face of the article and forming wrapper wings extending from the front and rear faces thereof, each of said folding means further comprising pairs of converging slots for folding the wrapper wings against the end faces of the article, said central folders defining the inner edges of said slots, tuckers movable inwardly of the raised article to fold these wrapper extensions therebeneath, and common means for displacing the central folders from their operative positions and for so moving the tuckers beneath the article.

4. In a wrapping machine, a forming well, an elevator for raising an article through the forming well to an upper position, said forming well having means for folding wrapper extensions against the end faces of the article, each of said folding means comprising a central folder having a lower portion for initially contacting and folding the upper wrapper extension against the end face of the article and forming wrapper wings extending from the front and rear faces thereof, said folding means further comprising pairs of converging slots for folding the wrapper wings against the end faces of the article, said slots terminating adjacent the upper position of the article, said central folders being vertically disposed and defining the inner edges of said slots, means for downwardly and outwardly displacing said central folders from their operative positions after the wrapper extensions are folded for snugly fitting said extensions against the end faces of the article, and tuckers for folding these extensions beneath the article.

5. In a wrapping machine, a forming well, an elevator for raising an article through the forming well to an upper position, said forming Well having means for folding wrapper extensions against the end faces of the article, each of said folding means comprising a central folder having a lower portion for folding the upper wrapper extension against the end face of the article and forming wrapper wings extending from the front and rear faces thereof, said folding means further comprising pairs of converging slots for folding the wrapper wings against the end faces of the article, said slots terminating adjacent the upper position of the article, said central folders defining the inner edges of said slots, tuckers on opposite sides of the forming well and movable inwardly of the wrapped article to fold these wrapper extensions therebeneath, a pair of shafts parallel to the end faces of the article and spaced outwardly of the forming well, said central folders being respectively secured to said shafts, means for simultaneously rotating said shafts in opposite directions to displace the central folders downwardly and outwardly of the forming well after folding of the wrapper extensions against the end faces of the article.

6. In a wrapping machine, a forming well, an elevator for raising an article through the forming well to an upper position, said forming well having means for folding wrapper extension against the end faces of the article, each of said folding means comprising a central folder having a lower portion for folding the upper wrapper extension against the end face of the article and forming wrapper Wings extending from the front and rear faces therof, said folding means further comprising pairs of converging slots for folding the wrapper wings against the end faces of the article, said slots terminating adjacent the upper position of the article, said central folders defining the inner edges of said slots, tuckers on opposite sides of the forming well and movable inwardly of the article to fold these wrapper extensions therebeneath, 'a pair of shafts parallel to the end faces of the article and spaced outwardly of the forming well, said central folders being respectively secured to said shafts, a cam for imparting oscillatory movement of said shafts, linkage means connecting said cam to said shafts for rotation of said shafts in opposite directions to displace the central folders downwardly and outwardly of the forming well after folding of the wrapper extensions against the end faces of the article, and linkage means respectively connecting said tuckers to said shafts for inward movement of the tuckers simultaneously with downard and outward movement of the central folders.

7. In a wrapping machine as in claim 6 wherein means are provided for simultaneously moving said shafts towards and away from each other to accommodate articles of varying widths and further wherein the linkage means connecting said cam and said shafts are of adjustable length to properly position said central folders relative to said forming well, and further wherein the linkage means connecting said shafts and said tuckers are of adjustable length to properly position said tuckers relative to said forming well.

8. A wrapping machine as in claim 7 wherein the forming well comprises front and rear walls and further wherein the outer edges of each pair of slots are formed by separate plates connected respectively to said front and rear walls and means are provided for adjusting the spacing between said front and rear walls.

9. In a wrapping machine as in claim 8 wherein the plates secured to one forming well wall embrace the article in its upper position and the plates secured to the other of said walls are spaced therefrom and beneath the article in its upper position and which further comprises a bottom folder operable to fold further wrapper extensions beneath the article in its upper position, said bottom folder having a width greater than the width of said walls being movable in the spacing between said plates to so fold these further wrapper extensions.

10. In a wrapping machine, a forming well, an e1evator for raising an article through the forming well to an upper position, said forming well having means for folding wrapper extensions against the end faces of the article, said forming well comprising front and rear walls, said folding means comprising pairs of slots on opposite sides thereof, the outer edges of each pair of slots being formed by separate plates connected respectively to said front and rear walls, the plates secured to one wall embracing the article in its upper position, and the plates secured to the other of said walls being spaced therefrom and beneath the article in its upper position, means for adjusting the spacing between said front and rear walls and a bottom folder operable to fold further wrapper extensions beneath the article in its upper position, said bottom folder having a width greater than the width of the forming well defined by said walls and movable in the spacing between said plates of the other of said walls to so fold these further wrapper extensions.

11. In a wrapping machine, a forming well, an elevator for raising an article through the forming well to an upper position, said forming well having means for folding wrapper extensions against the end faces of the article, each of said folding means comprising a central folder having a lower portion for folding the upper wrapper extension against the end face of the article and forming wrapper wings extending from the front and rear faces thereof, said folding means further comprising pairs of converging slots for folding the wrapper wings against the end faces of the article, said slots terminating adjacent the upper position of the article, said central folders defining the inner edges for said slots, means for displacing said central folders downwardly from their operative positions after the wrapper extensions are folded against the end faces of the article, tuckers for folding these extensions beneath the article, and means for moving said tuckers inwardly of said article to so fold the wrapper extensions, said means moving said tuckers along paths initially spaced beneath the article and then contiguous with the bottom surface thereof during the final portions of their inward movement.

12. In a wrapping machine, a forming well, an elevator for raising an article through the forming well to an upper position, said forming well having means for folding wrapper extensions against the end faces of the article, each of said folding means comprising a central folder having a lower portion for folding the upper wrapper extension against the end face of the article and forming wrapper wings extending from the front and rear faces thereof, said folding means further comprising pairs of converging slots for folding the wrapper wings against the end faces of the article, said slots terminating adjacent the upper position of the article, said central folders defining the inner edges of said slots, tuckers on opposite sides of the forming well and movable inwardly of the article to fold these wrapper extensions therebeneath, a pair of shafts parallel to the end faces of the article and spaced outwardly of the forming well, said central folders being respectively secured to said shafts, a cam for imparting oscillatory movement of said shafts, linkage means connecting said cam to said shafts for rotation of said shafts in opposite directions to displace the central folders downwardly and outwardly of the forming well after folding of the wrapper extensions against the end faces of the article, arms on which the tuckers are respectively mounted, each of said arms being pivotally mounted on a carriage which is reciprocable toward and away from said forming well, an upstanding lever secured to each of said shafts, an upstanding projection from each of said arms, links respectively connecting said levers and projections, a cam associated with each arm and having upper and lower guiding surfaces, a follower connected with each arm and engageable with the guiding surfaces of said cam, said rotation of said shafts causing the followers to engage the lower guiding surfaces as the carriages are drawn towards the forming well, said lower guiding surfaces controlling movement of the tuckers along paths initially spaced from and then contiguous with the bottom of the article during the final portions of their inward movement, reverse rotation of said shafts causing the followers to engage said upper guiding surfaces controlling movement of the tuckers along rectilinear paths contiguous with the bottom of the article as the carriages move outwardly of the forming well, and simultaneously the central folders are returned to their operative positions.

13. In a wrapping machine, a forming well, an elevator for raising an article through the forming well to an upper position, said forming well having means for folding wrapper extensions against the end faces of the article, tuckers on opposite sides of the forming well and movable inwardly of the article to fold these wrapper extensions therebeneath, a pair of shafts parallel to the end faces of the article and spaced outwardly of the forming well, arms on which the tuckers are respectively mounted, each of said arms being pivotally mounted on a carriage which is reciprocable toward and away from said forming well, an upstanding lever secured to each of these shafts, an upstanding projection from each of said arms, links respectively connecting said levers and projections, a cam associated with each arm and having upper and lower guiding surfaces, a follower connected with each arm and engageable with the guiding surfaces of the associated cam, means for simultaneously rotating said shafts in opposite directions, said rotation causing the followers to engage the lower guiding surfaces as the carriages are drawn towards the forming Well, said lower guiding surfaces controlling movement of the tuckers along paths initially spaced from and then contiguous with the bottom of the article during the final portions of their inward movement, reverse rotation of said shafts causing the followers to engage said upper guiding surfaces controlling movement of the tuckers along rectilinear paths contiguous with the bottom of the article.

14. In a wrapping machine, a forming well, an elevator for raising an article through the forming well to fold wrapper extensions thereabout, said forming well comprising a front wall, rear wall'and end walls, each of said end walls comprising a central folder having a lower portion for folding the upper wrapper extension against the end face of the article and forming wrapper wings extending from the front and rear faces thereof, the upper portion of said central folder being of spatulate form, and

slot forming members spaced from the upper portions of said central folder and spaced therefrom to define converging slots for folding the wrapper wings against the end faces of the article, tuckers on the opposite sides of the forming well movable inwardly of the article .to fold these wrapper extensions therebeneath after they have been so folded by the end walls, a pair of shafts parallel to the end faces of the article and spaced outwardly of the forming well, said end walls secured respectively to said shafts, and means for simultaneously rotating said shafts in opposite directions to displace the end walls of the forming well downwardly and outwardly after folding the wrapper extensions against the end faces of the article.

15. In a wrapping machine, a forming well, an elevator for raising an article through the forming well, said forming Well comprising a front wall, a rear wall and end walls, each of said end walls comprising a central folder having a lower portion for folding the upper wrapper extension against the end face of the article and forming wrapper wings extending from the front and rear faces thereof, the upper portion of each central folder being of spatulate form, slot forming means spaced from the upper portions of each central folder and spaced therefrom to define converging slots for folding the wrapper wings against the end faces of the article, and thin plates respectively secured to the outer faces of said slot forming members and in contiguous relation respectively of said front and rear walls to facilitate entrance of said wrapper wings into said slots, tuckers on opposite sides of the forming Well movable inwardly of the article to fold these wrapper extensions therebeneath after they have been so folded by the end walls, a pair of shafts parallel to the end faces of the article and spaced outwardly of the forming well, each of said end walls being respectively secured to said shafts by means including a central arm extending outwardly from the lower end of said central folder and arms extending outwardly from each of said slot forming members to said shafts, and

means for simultaneously rotating said shafts in opposite directions to displace the end walls of the forming Well downwardly and outwardly after folding the wrapper extensions against the end faces of the article.

16. In a wrapping machine, a forming well, an elevator for raising an article through the forming well, said forming well comprising vertically disposed end walls having converging slots including vertically disposed central folders for folding wrapper extensions against the end faces of the article, and means displacing said end walls downwardly and outwardly from their operative positions after the wrapper extensions have been folded for snugly fitting said extensions against the end faces of the article.

17. In a wrapping machine, a forming well, an elevator for raising an article through the forming well to fold wrapper extensions thereabout, said forming well comprising a front wall, a rear wall and end walls, said end walls having converging slots for folding wrapper extensions against the end faces of the article, means for displacing said end walls downwardly from their operative positions after the wrapper extensions have been folded against the end faces of the article, and means for adjusting the spacing between said end walls to wrap different length articles, said front and rear walls having a length sufiicient to span said end walls throughout the range of adjustment of spacing therebetween.

18. In a wrapping machine, a forming well, an elevator for raising an article through the forming well to fold wrapper extensions thereabout, said forming well comprising a front wall, a rear wall and end walls, said end walls having converging slots for folding wrapper extensions against the end faces of the article, side tuckers for folding the wrapper extensions below the end faces of the article at the underside of the article, a bottom folder for then folding wrapper extensions from the trailing face of the article beneath the article, and means for adjusting the spacing between said end walls to wrap different length articles, said front and rear walls and said bottom folder having a length suflicient to span said end walls throughout at least a substantial portion of the range of adjustment of spacing therebetween.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,266,705 5/1918 Murphy 53223 1,285,646 11/1918 Drake et a1 53--223 1,734,351 11/1929 Sevigne et al 53-223 X 1,808,181 6/1931 Sevigne 53-223 1,927,011 9/1933 Boileau 53223 2,215,036 9/1940 Hartman 53223 X FOREIGN PATENTS 610,681 3/ 1935 Germany.

TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Primary Examiner. FRANK E. BAILEY, Examiner.

L. S. BOUCHARD, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A WRAPPING MACHINE, A FORMING WELL, AN ELEVATOR FOR RAISING AN ARTICLE THROUGH THE FORMING WELL, SAID FORMING WELL HAVING MEANS FOR FOLDING WRAPPER EXTENSIONS AGAINST THE END FACES OF THE ARTICLE, SAID FOLDING MEANS BEING SLOTTED AND INCLUDING VERTICALY DISPOSED CENTRAL FOLDERS ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID FORMING WELL, AND MEANS FOR DOWNWARDLY AN OUTWARDLY DISPLACING SAID CENTRAL FOLDERS FROM THEIR OPERATIVE POSITIONS AFTER THE WARPPER EXTENSIONS ARE FOLDED FOR SNUGLY FITTING SAID EXTENSIONS AGAINST THE END FACES OF THE ARTICLE. 